Articles

Coorparoo Residence A Lightweight Hamptons Home

Builder

Hezzelic Homes

Products

Set on a compact block in the sought-after inner Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo, this elevated and elegant family residence oozes style.

Commissioned to create a traditional home which would dominate but not dwarf a small lot, boutique builder Hezzelic Homes responded with a lightweight ‘Hamptons’ style design which includes space for a family to work, play and entertain.

SMALL BLOCK, BIG THINKING

Hezzelic’s brief? To deliver a substantial two storey dwelling in keeping with the upscale location but which complied with the clients’ budget.

The clients were active throughout the entire process, working closely with Hezzelic to bring their idea to life. From the initial design concept to choosing the façade of the home, the owners of modern home helped put an Australian twist on a classic Hampton’s look.

We can increase the house size by 10 to 15m2 by using Scyon Walls cladding for the façade, all the way around and on both floors of a small lot project, versus having the same external footprint in brickwork. DWAIN LABUSCHEWSKI

With a young brood to accommodate, their specifications included four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, dual living areas and as much outdoor living space as the confines of their 405m2 block would allow.

An irregular land shape presented an additional design challenge for the Hezzelic crew, who worked with a contract draftsman to turn the clients’ initial sketches into an attractive and practical design.

The company has forged a reputation for successful small lot builds in Brisbane’s inner south and east over the past decade.

“The block was out of square, with the street frontage smaller than the rear boundary, so we focused on a design which followed the shape of the block to make best use of the area,” Hezzelic managing director Dwain Labuschewski says.

LOOKING BEYOND TRADITIONAL MATERIALS

While weatherboards are epitome of the iconic timber and tin Queenslander and rendered Labuschewski says, for small lot owners, the smart money is on lightweight cladding.

A long-time authority on the Scyon™ Walls concrete based range, he says the products can be employed to deliver larger internal living areas than other materials.

“We can increase the house size by 10 to 15m2 by using Scyon Walls cladding for the façade, all the way around and on both floors of a small lot project, versus having the same external footprint in brickwork,” Labuschewski says.

“It’s a straightforward way we can provide clients who are redeveloping sub-divided inner city blocks with more bang for their buck.”

The company utilises Scyon products exclusively for small lot homes when a lightweight design is specified.

“Usually it’s a case of marrying the style of the home to the products and mixing and matching to create a look that works,” Lubuschewski says.

“In this case, we opted for a combination of Linea™ Weatherboards for that traditional Hamptons weatherboard look, teamed with Scyon Axon™ sheeting to add a contemporary note.”

SHORT AND LONG TERM SAVINGS

Time and cost savings associated with Scyon Walls cladding make it a popular choice for builders and clients who are on the clock and on a budget.

“It’s a cheaper construction than brick veneer, makes for a cleaner job site and can run to a quicker schedule – there’s lots to like,” Labuschewski says.

“We typically find the Scyon sheeting can be installed around 25 per cent faster than timber weatherboards or heavy blockwork – that translates to a decent saving on labour with a project like this one.”

In addition to a more economical build, owners can expect to enjoy significant long-term cost savings.

“Compared with timber, which has to be painted frequently in a sub-tropical climate like Brisbane’s, and monitored vigilantly for termites, concrete based cladding is low maintenance,” Labuschewski says.

“It’s moisture and pest resistant, weathers incredibly well and looks good for years, with little done. The icing on the cake is that it also has great insulation properties. A more energy efficient home means you end up spending less on heating and cooling – with electricity bills forever on the rise, that’s a big plus.”

A JOB WELL DONE

Were Hezzelic’s clients happy with the way their design goals took shape on the Coorparoo block?

“Yes – the family absolutely loves the home we created together,” Labuschewski says.

“Using Scyon Walls allowed us to deliver a traditional dwelling with the clean lines and perfect finish they were hoping for and with next to no maintenance required.”

His advice for others considering incorporating Scyon cladding in their new build or renovation?

“It’s a no brainer – just do it!”